Ballasts and driver devices are used for providing power to light sources such as fluorescent lamps, LED arrays and the like. Conventional design goals for these devices include continuing efforts to increase efficiency. Ballast and discharge lamp technologies, however, are generally reaching practical efficiency limits. End users are therefore searching for other solutions to further the goal of total energy savings. Various approaches proposed in the past include control and sensor systems to implement power-down strategies to save energy by turning off or dimming the lights either when someone has either forgotten to turn them off or it is expected the site will not be used or occupied. However, these solutions require additional sensors, controllers, complex wiring and other peripheral devices, and are thus cost prohibitive as well as difficult to install, maintain and operate. A need therefore remains for improved ballasts and drivers for light sources and techniques which may successfully achieve end user energy savings without significantly increasing operating costs and complexity.